Regardless of one's religious or political bent, it can hardly be denied that the presence of varying viewpoints in the marketplace of ideas is generally a good thing. More thoughts and opinions injected into a public forum can foster discussion and make citizens think more critically about the topics being discussed. In fact, that very belief is a bedrock of this Opinion Page, where you, the reader, are invited to send your thoughts and opinions to us for our "Your Voice" section.

It is hard, then, to condone the actions of East Lansing school officials last week. East Lansing High School Principal Paula Steele and Superintendent David Chapin decided to halt the distribution of an independent student newspaper, titled the Right Way, after students failed to ask permission to distribute the paper.

Chapin said the conservative-leaning paper had to be reviewed for inflammatory or disruptive content by administrators, according to East Lansing School Board policy.

Admittedly, the position of a high school administrator is a difficult one. It is certainly in the best interests of an educator to ensure that something that hinders the learning process, or is distributed in a manner that disturbs that process, not be permitted on school property.

The Right Way, however, was passed out between classes, ensuring that learning was not compromised. Furthermore, it was not bankrolled by East Lansing High School in any way, making it a truly independent paper. According to the Student Press Law Center, a court ruling has held that school administrators have no blanket right to review or change an underground newspaper before publication.

Regardless of the interests of school administrators, by halting distribution of the Right Way, they have censored a voice and therefore harmed the marketplace of ideas at East Lansing High School.

It's hard not to agree with Tyler Whitney, the independent paper's co-editor when he says: "Everybody should have a voice...even if they are a minority."